New Food in Town bodega is a big hit

Halal lamb platter from Food in Town on Charleston's East End

Praise piling on for a new bodega-style business on the East End

We have ourselves a New York-style bodega, folks, right here in Charleston. And the delicious, fresh items Food in Town makes at 1500 Washington St. E. are the real deal.

Chopped cheese from Food in Town

Popular in New York and other big cities, a bodega (at its simplest) is a convenience store that also has a counter serving hot and cold food made to order. But at its core, it’s so much more.

A small grocery store offering many everyday essentials 24/7. A family-owned business serving the people who live around the block. A popular community hub where you can catch up with friends while scoring some seriously good eats representing the heritage and ethnicity of the surrounding area.

It’s that last part that’s so special. Because bodegas provide such an important sense of cultural identity for the hyper-local communities they serve, there are an estimated 13,000 of them operating in New York City’s five boroughs alone.)

Food in Town at 1500 Washington St. E.

We’re so blessed to now have one in Charleston’s East End, a neighborhood with an equally strong sense of community. I expect many who live there – and beyond – will quickly become regulars. I’ve already been to Food in Town four times in the past several weeks and can’t wait to go back again.

The made-to-order food counter offers an array of quality Boar’s Head meats and cheeses used to make a dozen cold deli sandwiches, plus a variety of hot subs, specialty heroes, smash burgers, dinner platters, fish and salads.

Just to tease a few sandwiches, there’s the Italian (prosciutto, spicy salami, fresh mozzarella and balsamic glaze), the Autumn Orange (cracked pepper turkey, musenster cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo) and the Pittsburgh (hot roast beef, tomato, coleslaw and fries stuffed inside the bread).

Customers line up at Food in Town

Or if you want a meal that really sings, dig into the Luther Vandross burger featuring two beef patties, bacon, melted American and your choice of fixings between two giant glazed donuts. That’s a Grammy-winning sandwich if I’ve ever seen one.

Food in Town is also a local franchisee for Krispy Krunchy Chicken, so there’s a whole separate menu offering fried chicken, wings, tenders, nuggets and sandwiches served with biscuits and sides.

(I haven’t tried the chicken yet, but folks rave about it.)

And if you happen to drive by in the mornings, they serve up breakfast sandwiches, platters and bagels, too.

Chicago Beef from Food in Town

There was no question what I was going to order on my first visit, based on social posts showing halal platters and a chopped cheese sandwich that stopped me mid-scroll.

These are among the most popular orders at many a bodega, and now I see why.

Halal food is prepared under specific Islamic religious guidelines to ensure it is wholesome, free from harmful substances and – in the case of meats – prepared as ethically responsible as possible. I support that belief and can vouch for the results.

The halal lamb platter offers a pile of warm, gyro-style chopped lamb on one side, seasoned rice on the other and a mound of fresh lettuce, tomato and onions in the middle. It’s all topped with either a cooling yogurt sauce or a spicy red one (pro tip: get both!) and it’s absolute perfection.

The menu at Food in Town

The chopped cheese (think Philly cheesesteak without peppers and onions) was nothing but the truth – grill-cooked meat mixed with melty cheese, then stuffed inside a fresh pillowy bun. Crazy good.

I went back a few days later for the Chicago Beef, which was different from the chunky meat-and-pepper creations you get in the Windy City.

The meat and peppers here were chopped up fine – with an abundance of peppers giving it a much spicier kick – but I didn’t stop until I had inhaled the whole thing.

Grocery shelves inside Food in Town

I had also heard good things about Food in Town’s Miami sandwich, based on social media chatter debating who has the best Cuban sandwich in town, and I’d throw this one in the running. I’m not the biggest fan of Cuban sandwiches, which tend to be pretty dry and flavor-light more often than not, but this blend of hot roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard on a pressed hero is a contender.

Don’t let Food in Town’s outside appearance as a simple convenience store fool you – or deter you – from stopping by. The food they’re turning out inside is legit.

Honestly, my only complaint about the place is that its lunch menu doesn’t start until 1 p.m., meaning you can’t really go and grab lunch during the hour when most people actually eat lunch. Totally don’t get that, but the food is still worth the wait.

So the next time you need a really great lunch or dinner to go – and maybe some laundry detergent, flour, peanut butter, oatmeal, orange juice or whatever – make tracks to Food in Town on West Washington Street. You won’t regret it.

• IF YOU GO: Food in Town at 1500 Washington St. E. in Charleston is open 24/7. For more information or to place orders for pickup, call 304-982-5012. The store does not have a website or Facebook page.

Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at wvfoodguy@aol.com.